Typically, patients with chronic renal failure receive medical treatment three to four times a week either in a dialysis clinic or at home. During hemodialysis, a dialysis machine pumps blood from a vascular access in the patient into a dialyzer. The dialyzer filters metabolic waste products and removes excess water from the blood. These waste products are then flushed out with dialysis solution and the filtered blood is returned to the patient's body. During hemodiafiltration, the machine removes more water from the blood than during hemodialysis. The additional liquid is continually replaced with an ultra-pure electrolyte solution. Thus, the machine exchanges a high volume of fluid during treatment and removes the liquid together with metabolic toxins from the blood.
In peritoneal dialysis, the peritoneum of the patient acts as the filter for cleaning the blood. The peritoneum has characteristics similar to those of the dialyzer: pores in the membrane allow passage of certain substances while retaining others. A catheter is used to introduce dialysis solution into the abdominal cavity. The blood-rich peritoneum is surrounded by the dialysis solution and metabolic toxins flow from the blood through pores in the peritoneum into the dialysis solution. Further, glucose in the dialysis solution pulls excess water out of the body. The solution containing the toxins and excess water is removed through the catheter and replaced with fresh solution. In Continuous Ambulant Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD), patients change the dialysis solution with the help of bag systems four to five times a day. In Automatic Peritoneal Dialysis (APD), a dialysis machine (cycler) takes over the exchange of fluid, making overnight treatment possible.
Typically, dialysis systems for patients with chronic renal failure are provided with an individual system, in order to supply “reverse osmosis” water (RO water), fresh dialysis solution or concentrate for dialysis solution to the dialysis machine. However, such systems are not practicable for intensive care in hospitals, since in intensive care dialysis machines are used in irregular time intervals and at varying places. Therefore, previous developments aimed at providing dialysis machines with a huge reservoir of dialysis solution, such that the dialysis machines can be used location-independently at any time. Such reservoirs may be provided with an internal container, in order to accommodate dialysis solution. Preferably, the internal container is a bag or pouch having a high volume and which can be disposed after dialysis treatment. If disposables are used, a time consuming disinfection of the reservoir can be omitted.
It is known to use bags for storing a high volume of dialysis solution. Previously, it was necessary to produce the dialysate contained in the bag in a separate device and to transfer the dialysate produced into the bag for storing.
DE 10 2009 058 445 describes a bag for preparing and providing a dialysate batch having a high volume, the bag including concentrate compartments.
AU 570100 B2, DE 195 10 759 A1, U.S. Pat. No. 4,386,634 A and DE 198 25 158 C1 disclose examples, in which a high volume of dialysate is provided in a storage container. The dialysate is contained in a bag having a high volume, which is supported by the storage container.
In DE 10 2007 009 269 A1 a glass tank is provided, in which the dialysate is stored.
EP 1 120 099 B1 describes a cartridge for accommodating concentrates, the cartridge having sub-compartments. The concentrates are dissolved by RO water.
DE 10 2010 014 785 is directed to a plastic film which can be used for the production of a bag having a high capacity for accommodating a dialysate.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a device and a method for preparing a medical fluid.